Flush tank valve seat and overflow



March 16, 1954 c. s. KRUCKI 2,671,905

FLUSH TANK VALVE SEAT AND OVERFLOW Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w Char/es 5. Kruckfi A Home FLUSH TANK VALVE SEAT AND OVERFLOW T'Z'J Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi cicL/es 5. Kruck/ Afr 0mg Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSH TANK VALVE SEAT AND OVERFLOW Charles S. Krucki, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application May 25, 1951, Serial No. 228,211

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a flush tank valve seat and overflow structure. A primary object and purpose of the invention is to provide a seat for the valve of a flush tank, which valve is raised when water is to ice delivered therefrom, connected with which is an overflow pipe, to the upper end of which a tube, which carries a small stream of water from the ball cock valve of the flush tank assembly leads. With my invention a much better, simpler, more economical and more perfect improved structure of unit of the character stated is produced, one which is very economical to make, which has a structure which permits the covering of all metal parts of it with porcelain, avoiding all chance of corrosion or other similar damage, and which is very quickly and easily assembled in a flush tank with a min imum of labor effort.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a flush tank, with a fragmentary portion of the bowl over which it is located, the tank being broken away at one end and the valve seat and overflow pipe unit of my invention shown in side elevation.

.Fig. 2 is a vertical section, substantially on the plane of line 2-4 of Fig. 4, through the ball valve seat structure and the connecting means used in securing the unit in water sealed relation to the bottom of the tank.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, similar to that shown in Fig. 2, illustrating a slight modification of structure with respect to the connecting means used.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section substantially on the plane of line 6-4 of Fig. 5, at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2, through the ball valve seat structure and the means used to canmeet it and secure .it in place, and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like park in the clifierent figures of the drawings.

The flush tank, with which my invention is used, is of conventional structure, having a bottom 1 with a vertical opening .2, usually of circular form, through such bottom, the tank hav ing spaced front .and back and spaced vertical ends, the upper end of the tank being open and covered by a removable top, as is substanttally universal in flush tanks.

"The ball valve '3, also of conventional struc ture, is secured at the lower end of :a wire rod 11 which is guided by passing upwardly through a guide 5, made from a single length of metal and bent between its ends to provide a vertical guiding sleeve for the wire 4 to pass through, the two end portions of the guide member 5 diverging and reaching to opposite sides of a vertical overflow pipe '5 to which they are spot welded. In flush tanks, the ball valve 3 is directly over the opening 2 and is normally against a valve seat therefor, making a water-tight seal against passage of the water until the valve 3 is lifted. Such valve 3 is lifted by operation of the usual flush tank lever, the detail of structure of such lever and operation thereof being long known and forming no part of the present invention.

The vertical overflow pipe 6 of thin metal, at its lower end passes through an opening in the upper side 1 of a body of sheet metal in which the ball valve seat is incorporated. The overflow pipe 6 is back of such seat and at its lower end portion passes downwardly through the top 1 which, at such opening, is formed by drawing and shaping the metal into ashort vertical sleeve 8 through which the immediate lower end portion of the tube 5 passes (Fig. 4). It is secured in place by upsetting the metal at 9, swaging and clinching it underneath the lower edges of the short sleeve .6. When the unit which is being described is finished, it is covered with a coatin of baked-on porcelain which, together with the ears 9, make a secure and permanent connection.

The top 1, which is of .a generally triangular shape though with rounded ends as indicated in Fig. 5, from its edges has vertical walls t0 integral therewith extending downwardly, which terminate in outwardly extending flanges H located over and pressing upon a gasket 12 of rubber or similar material, between such flanges and the upper side of the bottom t of the tank (Figs. 2 and 4 D The gasket is approximately the same width as the flanges i At what may be termed the forward portion of the top 1, the seat for the ball valve 3 is made by pressing the metal downwardly and into a conical form having downwardly converging sides as indicated at 13. The depth of the walls 13 of the seat is less than the height of the sides It, and below the inclined or conical sides IF3 a short lip M or circular'iorm extends downwardly, from which, at a plurality of spaced points, integral ears l5 project also in a downward direction. A ring or collar 48 of sheet-metal at its upper end surrounds the short ring .44, the ears I 5 being at "the inner sides of said ring or collar 16 in intimate contact therewith, so thatsueh ears J are spot welded to the ring or collar IS. The diameter of such collar I6 is less than the diameter of the opening 2 through the bottom of the tank.

Within the collar IS, a diametrically positioned cross member or brace is located and secured. It is preferably constructed of two lengths ll of flat metal, narrower in width than the height of the collar l6, which are placed against each other and spot welded together. At their ends they have diverging arcuate sections I8 which come against the collar |6 between ears l5, and are welded to said collar.

Midway between the ends of the two members H which make the cross member, they are bent outwardly into semi-circular form so that when fastened together, a generally circular guide 59 is provided through which a vertical screw 26 may be inserted from above until the head of the screw comes against the upper edges of the parts Such screw is secured in place by screwing a nut 2|, with a washer ahead of it, on the projecting lower end portion of the screw until it comes snugly against the under side of such guide l9.

Below the bottom I of the tank and below the collar IS, a second cylindrical member 22, at its upper end formed with an outwardly extending horizontal continuous flange 23, is adapted to be located. The cylindrical member 22 is equipped with a cross member similar to that with which the collar is equipped, including two lengths 24 of fiat metal, placed to gether and spot welded which, between their ends,

are likewise shaped and formed outwardly to provide a vertical guide through which the lower end portion of the screw 2:; may pass. Also at each end the parts 24 are provided with similar arcuate, oppositely extending end sections 26 spot welded to the cylindrical member 22. The screw 29 passes through the guide and at its lower end is adapted to receive a washer and nut 21 to secure the parts together in the assembly of the valve and overflow pipe unit on a tank.

In such assembly one or more gaskets 28 between the lower side of the bottom I of the tank and the upper side of the annular flange 23 are located around the lower end of the opening 2 in the tank bottom. Other gaskets in desired number, at 29, are against the under side of the flange 23 and below them the cylindrical member 22 is surrounded by a heavy rubber gasket 36 which, at its lower end portion, tapers inwardly and downwardly, adapting it to fit into a. conical seat at the upper end of a passage 3| in the upper portion of the bowl with which the flush tank is used, as shown in Fig. 1. The gaskets 28 and 23 in numbers used and in total thickness may be selected so as to insure that the lowermost gasket will be pressed forcefully against its seat and that the upper gaskets 28 will be similarly pressed against the bottom I of the tank. When the parts are thus assembled and the nut 2'! tightened a complete water tight assembly of the unit with the bottom of the tank is accomplished.

It will be noted that in Figs. 2 and 4, the interior diameter of the cylindrical portion 22 is greater than the exterior diameter of the collar |6. Any water delivered to the upper end of overflow pipe 6, after the bulb 3 has returned to its seat l3, with such structure has a free passage to the bowl. However there may and frequently will be installations in which the exterior and interior diameters of the part 22 and of the collar It may be the same, or the diameter of the part 22 less than the collar I6. Under such conditions, as shown in Fig. 4, a slot at 33 may be cut through the collar l6 and end sections |8 which may intervene, so that if there is an obstruction of water passage directly through the opening 2 around the collar I6 and thence to the bowl, it will pass through such slot to the inner side of the collar and freely flow to the bowl.

In Fig. 3, the guides at l9 are enlarged, as indicated at I9a, and a bushing 34 which may be die cast axially bored and threaded is provided, through which the screw 20 is threaded. The upper end of the bushing 34 has a head to rest upon the upper edges of the guide portions Mia. The same securing of the parts together in assembly is accomplished with an elimination of the nut 2| and its washer and with the provision of a more sturdy and solid seat for the head of the screw and, of course, with any strains on the screw caused by tightening the nut 21 transmitted to the bushing 3 The unit as described will include in assembly at the factory the overflow pipe 6, the guide arm 5, the valve seat housing and the connected collar l6 together with the cross bracing members H. The gaskets l2 and 28 will be separate but the gaskets 29 and 30 will be around the cylindrical part 22 snugly or frictionally en gaging it. The screw 2| will be assembled with the cross member I! with the nut 2| and its washer, or the equivalent structure shown in Fig. 3 used. The assembly in the field will consist merely of placing the gasket l2 underneath the flanges H with the collar It in the ball valve seat l3 above it preferably axially aligned with and passing through the opening 2. Then the gaskets 28 are placed at the upper side of the flange 23 and the member 22 with the gaskets 29 and 30 on it located in place so that the lower end portion of the screw 20 passes through the guide at 25. Thereafter, the nut 2'! is screwed onto the lower end of the screw and tightened to a snug pressure.

All metal parts are covered with a coating of porcelain vitrolite or similar covering resistant to water, or any metal damaging ingredients therein.

The structure described is very economical to produce and is assembled with a minimum of effort. Its life is long and, in all ways, it is a sturdy dependable construction.

The invention is defined in the appended claims, and it is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a structure as described, a housing having a horizontal top and vertical sides at its edges adapted to be located above the bottom of a flush tank, said top at its upper side having an opening therethrough, sides of which at the upper end of said openin are inclined downwardly and inwardly and thence extend downwardly, providing a cylindrical wall, a separable member also of cylindrical form located below and spaced from said wall, at its upper end having an outwardly extending annular flange, members fixedly secured to and extending between opposite portions of said cylindrical wall and said separable cylindrical member adapted to be located one over the other, and means connected with the upper or said members and extending downwardly throughthe lower of said members, said means having a threaded lower portion adapted to receive a nut to move said cylindrical member upwardly with relation to the upper cylindrical wall;

2. In a structure of the class described, a housing having a horizontal top and vertical sides around the edges of said top, said sides at their lower edges terminating in an outwardly extending horizontal continuous flange, said housing having an opening therein, walls around the opening at the upper end thereof inclining downwardly and inwardly for a distance, a cylindrical wall extending vertically downward from the lower edge portions of said downwardly and inwardly inclined walls, a transverse member located within and extending across from one side to the other of said cylindrical wall, having a vertical passage between its ends, a screw passing through said vertical passage having its head at the upper edges of said transverse member and its shank extending below it, a separable member below and spaced from the cylindrical wall, also having a vertical cylindrical wall, said last mentioned wall, at its upper end, having an outwardly extending horizontal annular flange, a second transverse member within and extending across and secured to said second cylindrical wall having a vertical passage therethrough between its ends through which the shank of the screw is adapted to pass, and a nut on the lower end portion of said screw below said second transverse member.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, said first mentioned cylindrical wall comprising, a cylinder surrounding the loweredge portions of the surrounding sides in the opening in the top of said housing, and permanently secured to said sides, and means for fixedly securing said screw to th first transverse member through which it asses.

4. In a structure as described a housing having a horizontal top and integral vertical sides around said top at the edges thereof, said top of the housing having an opening therethrough surrounded at the upper end of said opening by downwardly and inwardly extending wall portions to a depth less than the height of the sides of the housing, said downwardly and inwardly extending wall portions terminating in a short, continuous, vertical, annular portion having at spaced apart distances around it downwardly extending ears, a wall of cylindrical shape located at its upper end around said ears and permanently joined therewith, said wall extending downward in a vertical direction, two plates of flat metal of a vertical height less than the height of said cylindrical wall located against each other within and extending across between opposed sides of the wall, means for permanently connecting said members at their ends to said wall, said members between their ends having opposite outwardly extending ribs providing grooves in conjunction with each other forming a vertical passage generally circular in cross section, a screw passing downwardly through said passage having its head bearing against the upper edges of said plates, means for fixedly securing said screw to said plates, the shank of said screw extending downwardly below them, a second vertical wall of generally cylindrical outline below and spaced from the first vertical wall having, at its upper edges, a continuous outwardly extending flange, a transverse member within and permanently secured at its ends to said second wall having a vertical passage for the screw shank to pass through, and a nut threaded on to the lower end of the screw.

5. A structure as defined in claim l, said first mentioned vertical wall adjacent its upper edge portion and at one side having a water passing opening therethrough.

6. In a structure as described, a housing of thin metal having a horizontal top and integral, downwardly extending vertical sides at and around the edges of the top, said sides terminating in an outwardly extendin continuous horizontal flange adapted to bear against the upper side of the bottom of a flush tank, said bottom having a vertical opening therein outwardly of which said flange is adapted to be located, said top having an opening therein, said opening at its upper end portion being surrounded by continuous downwardly and inwardly extending walls integral with the housing, a vertically positioned cylindrical wall secured to said downwardly and inwardly extending walls and extending below the lower edges thereof, a second cylindrical wall vertically and axially positioned below the first wall and spaced therefrom, at its upper edge portions having an outwardly extending, horizontal continuous annular flange adapted to be located under the underside of the bottom of a flush tank, and means connecting said cylindrical walls, located interiorly thereof, for moving the second cylindrical wall toward the first wall, and adapted to draw said flanges into clamping engagement with the bottom of a flush tank.

CHARLES S. KRUCKI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 536,769 Vinter Apr. 2, 1895 566,990 Madden Sept. 1, 1896 848,147 Willms Mar. 26, 1907 1,570,681 Kirkham Jan. 26, 1926 1,618,777 Pasman Feb. 22, 1927 2,482,970 Garratt Sept. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 39,861 Austria Nov. 25, 1909 305,377 Great Britain Feb. 7, 1929 

